Senior Communications and Campaigns Manager

We’re responsible for Land Transaction Tax (LTT) and Landfill Disposals Tax (LDT). Our work raises revenue to support public services, like the NHS and schools, in communities across Wales. But that’s not all, we're also involved with and support future tax design for Wales.
Join a place with purpose
You’ll join a team of 80 plus talented people from across 14 different professions. Our culture is best described as innovative, collaborative and kind.
By working together, we’ll deliver a fair tax system for Wales.
You’ll be working with…
Our people come from a wide range of backgrounds and experience. From Operations, Policy, Digital and Data, HR, Communications to Finance – there’s a place for you in our friendly team.
You’ll be our greatest asset
When you join us, you’ll be part of a fair and inclusive team where you can thrive, be rewarded and heard.
We’ve consistently featured in the top 3 for people engagement in the Civil Service People Survey. Inclusion and fairness are our most strongest scoring areas – see our latest People Survey results.
And we’re recognised for our innovation as a digital ‘cloud-based’ organisation that supports hybrid and flexible working that enables a great work-life balance. More about working for us, our roles and our Corporate Plan 2022 - 2025 ., The Communications team was established in 2018 to support the operational launch of the WRA managing the first 2 devolved Welsh taxes. You’ll join the team during a new era for the WRA, as we get set to deliver a visitor levy for Wales, and with that, move towards becoming a larger, services-based organisation.
You’ll play a central role in helping to design, develop, and deliver a refreshed brand and communications strategy to meet the WRA’s business priorities. Key areas of work:
· Visitor levy: Support and work with the overall programme team delivering the visitor levy; also working with wider Welsh Government departments and other partners to create a joined-up communications approach
· Tax risk mitigation: Work with the Operations team to help identify innovative and tried and tested techniques to communicate with conveyancers, solicitors, and taxpayers, to help them pay the right tax at the right time
· Employee journey: As a growing organisation, help develop a strong employer brand for the WRA, considering the best approaches to use communications to support the recruitment strategy aimed at attracting the best talent
You’ll join a small and multi-skilled team of communications professionals with the potential to grow further in future. Between us, we cover external communications, internal communications, and lead on the Welsh language strategy for the WRA.
You’ll take a strategic approach to campaign planning, based on user research and data. You’ll oversee the approach for multiple communications channels - existing and new - championing digital, bilingual, and accessible content.
You’ll thrive in the role if you enjoy strategy as much as delivery and can effectively manage both reactive and proactive communications equally. Being adaptable and comfortable with change is key in this role.
You’ll be a sound team player and will be able to flex your communications style to work with internal and external stakeholders effectively. You’ll deputise for the Head of Communications, supporting Tîm Arwain, Board, and wider teams.
As a line manager, you’ll help team members with advice as well as professional development and wellbeing support. You’ll also be encouraged and supported in the same way with a view to building a skilled and resilient Communications team.
“The WRA is moving into a new era with a new service to deliver, and new audiences to reach, and we need fresh ideas in the team to help us. There’ll be work on brand, channels, campaigns and much more. This is a big and exciting brief for someone who’s passionate about people and making a difference to Wales.”
Catrin Durie, Head of Communications, + Design and deliver external communications campaigns to meet the WRA’s strategic business priorities. For example, the visitor levy and LTT tax risk
+ Help review and develop our channel strategy, by continually evaluating and considering the latest trends, to help reach the right target audiences
+ Own, lead, and deliver on corporate projects and related launch plans. For example, our corporate plan and annual report and accounts
+ Deliver internal communications to help support the needs of an organisation with a growing workforce working in a hybrid approach
Reactive communications
+ Support on reactive activity, with media and across social media, ensuring what we communicate externally is reflected internally amongst our people
+ Supporting on issues and crisis management activity, including planning through to responding to issues, to protect the reputation of the WRA
+ Identify key tools and channels to help us manage reactive, as well as proactive communications, such as social listening and media monitoring
Stakeholder relationships
+ Deputise for the Head of Communications when unavailable on all areas of work; including strategic advice to Tîm Arwain, heads of teams, and Board
+ Build strong networks and working relationships with a variety of stakeholders, within the WRA, wider Welsh Government, and externally
+ Support team members under your line management with advice on delivery as well as professional development and wellbeing
Wider team tasks
+ Help with our Welsh language standards activity, supporting our Welsh Language and Internal Communications Manager on delivery
+ Manage our strategic planning and evaluation process drawing on Government Communications Service (GCS) OASIS model and wider best practice
+ Help support on contract management, including procurement frameworks and financial management of day-to-day costings
+ Be part of the team’s on call rotation covering press and social media management out-of-hours, as required
+ Participate in wider networks on behalf of the Communications team and the WRA to ensure we’re up to date with best practice, We recruit using success profiles. Our success profiles guidance will help you in completing your application. In brief, this approach means:
+ we look for evidence of what you have done and what you can do. This means we look for the behaviours, strengths and ability needed to do the job
+ where necessary or relevant, we also consider experience and technical knowledge
+ this approach starts at application stage and continues throughout the recruitment process
+ we may only look for some things at certain stages. We’ll always be clear what we’re looking for and when
You should highlight evidence from the table below during the recruitment process. You may also wish to refer to the main tasks mentioned above.
Whilst the use of Generative AI (GenAI) isn’t prohibited, it must be used truthfully and your application must be factually accurate. It should be noted that presenting ideas and experience generated by artificial intelligence as your own, may be considered plagiarism.
We recommend you review the job description (or candidate pack) under the 'attachments' section before completing your application., We will be holding 2 virtual information sessions for candidates on date and time via Microsoft Teams. This will be an opportunity for you to find out more about the role. If you would like to attend, register for the information sessions using the links below
9 October – 1.00-1.30pm - Business Wales Events Finder - Candidate Information Session - Senior Communications & Campaigns Manager (business-events.org.uk)
9 October – 6.00-6.30pm - Business Wales Events Finder - Candidate Information Session - Senior Communications & Campaigns Manager (business-events.org.uk)
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
+ UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window)., The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. See the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles where this is set out.
If you feel your application has not been treated in line with the recruitment principles, and you wish to complain, you should contact the Head of HR.
Email: hr@wra.gov.wales
If you’re not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Civil Service Commission.

Attachments

WRA Senior Comms and Campaigns Manager V1 Opens in new window (pdf, 297kB)
WRA Senior Comms Campaigns Manager - V1 cy-GB Opens in new window (pdf, 324kB)

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this post:
Welsh language skills
Welsh skills are desirable
Reading 0 = No skills
Spoken 0 = No skills
Understanding 0 = No skills
Written 0 = No skills
Welsh desirable means that having Welsh language skills would be useful in this role, but it is not an assessment criteria so it won’t put you at any disadvantage during recruitment if you aren’t a Welsh speaker. We support all staff to learn or improve their Welsh language skills once they join us., Proven experience and technical knowledge of a range of communications channels
Yes
Yes
Experience of leading a large communications campaign

Alongside your salary of £43,785, Welsh Revenue Authority contributes £12,684 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
We offer a wide range of benefits when you join the WRA, such as:
+ 31 days annual leave + 2 privilege days
+ flexible working
+ a generous employer contribution Civil Service pension scheme
+ Cycle to Work scheme and season ticket loans
+ learning opportunities including funded Welsh language courses
+ dedicated wellbeing time offered weekly
+ a highly engaged and collaborative culture – see our People Survey results
Find out more about the benefits of working for us., Ensure communication has a clear purpose and takes into account people’s individual needs.
Yes
Yes
Changing and Improving
Actively encourage ideas from a range of sources and stakeholders and use these to inform thinking.
Yes
No
Developing self and others
Ensure development objectives are set and achieved to address any gaps and enable delivery of current and future work.
No
Yes
Delivering at pace
Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance.
No
Yes, You take a positive approach to tackling problems and find ways to identify suitable solutions.
No
Yes
Strategic
You look at the big picture and consider the wider factors and long term implications of decisions.
No
Yes